Cutie Mark Crusaders Griffon Savers
by TheGoldenYoshichu
Summary: The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Gilda go to Las Pegasus. At first everything is all fun and games, but when Gilda is accused of counting cards and is taken into casino custody, it's up to the Cutie Mark Crusaders to rescue her. Are they up to the task? Will they win any bits while they're there? Will Las Pegasus still be standing when they're finished? Sequel to Forbidden Love.
1. Chapter 1: Tales of The City

**Chapter 1: Tales of The City**

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were inside of their clubhouse practicing with their instruments. The foursome had earned their cutie marks during a talent show in Canterlot a while back and now they were focused on being the absolute best rock band that they could be. While they weren't the best in Equestria, they were definitely talented. Each of the four fillies was extremely skillful at their position. Scootaloo had a very amazing singing voice while Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Babs Seed were incredible with the electric guitar, electric keyboard, and drums respectively. It was their skills with and passion for music that had earned them their cutie marks. The foursome put all of their effort towards being the best that they could possibly be.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had already had one song which they used as their theme song. It was the song which had won them first prize in the music contest in Canterlot and what had earned them their cutie marks. They had practiced it for a bit and then they focused on writing another song. While their theme song was all about themselves and their journey to get their cutie marks, this new song was about a pony in their hometown of Ponyville. This pony was a light blue rainbow maned pegasus pony known as Rainbow Dash and she was the one that had taught them the tune that their new song followed. She was also the idol of the group's lead singer Scootaloo.

Scootaloo had an extreme fondness for Rainbow Dash and the rainbow maned pegasus saw the young orange filly as her little sister. The duo had a very close bond and Scootaloo would often be given flying lessons from Rainbow Dash. This new song was dedicated to the rainbow maned pegasus since she had created the tune as a theme for her idols The Wonderbolts. While the four fillies had been able to perform the tune flawlessly on their instruments, they had not yet written any lyrics to go along with the melody. Scootaloo was extremely determined to be able to perform this song for her idol and big sister. Scootaloo knew that being a rock star would set her on a different path than Rainbow Dash but she still wanted to do what she could to impress the light blue pony that she idolized. The other three members of the band didn't admire Rainbow Dash as much but they still did everything they could to make this new song as good as it could possibly be. The four fillies racked their brains to think of some lyrics when they were joined by their friends Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon weren't always friends with The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The two ponies used to bully the four fillies constantly but they had realized the error of their ways shortly after the contest in Canterlot. They had been forgiven by the four fillies for their harsh treatment and they had been quickly accepted as new members of the group. Neither of the two ponies had any interest in being rock stars but they still enjoyed hanging out with the other four fillies. The foursome stopped what they were doing and greeted their friends. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had just returned from a vacation with their families in the city of Las Pegasus. While the two fillies were there for fun, their fathers had gone to the city to make business deals with ponies that were there. Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's fathers had made a rather respectable amount of money by starting their own businesses. Diamond Tiara's father was very wealthy and while Silver Spoon's father wasn't quite as rich, he still had a lot more money than most of the adult ponies that lived in Ponyville.

"So what was it like in Las Pegasus?" Scootaloo asked the duo eagerly when they had sat down together inside of the clubhouse that was occupied by the group.

"Ah heard Las Pegasus is an amazing place." Apple Bloom said.

"I heard it's filled with a bunch of colorful lights." Sweetie Belle added.

"And a bunch of casinos too." Babs Seed finished.

"Las Pegasus was really awesome." Diamond Tiara said happily.

"I never wanted to leave." Silver Spoon agreed with a smile on her face.

"There were lights all over the place." Diamond Tiara told her four eagerly listening friends. "It looked amazing."

"It's too bad we weren't old enough to go into the casinos." Silver Spoon said with a slightly disappointed look on her face as she thought about it.

"I would have loved to do a bit of gambling but we have to be adults." Diamond Tiara agreed with a rather annoyed expression on her face at being denied a chance at what she thought would be a fun activity.

"Maybe in a few years we'll go back." Silver Spoon said in a slightly hopeful tone.

"I wanna go to Las Pegasus one day." Scootaloo declared as her eyes lit up when she thought about it.

"Ah've never been there in my life." Apple Bloom said as she looked at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon with a little bit of awe on her face. She really wished that she could be able to go to the city one day but her family wasn't as wealthy, influential, or connected as the fathers of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

"My sister Rarity has been there a few times." Sweetie Belle said. "She says it's no place for ponies our age."

"Yeah but still it would be fun if we got the chance ta go right?" Babs Seed asked her friend. "Ah always wanted ta see the inside of a casino."

"So what's new with you guys?" Diamond Tiara asked in a friendly tone once the discussion about their trip to the city of Las Pegasus had finished.

"Did you do anything while we were gone?" Silver Spoon asked eagerly.

"Not much." Scootaloo replied honestly.

"Still tryin' ta write a new song." Apple Bloom told them.

"We haven't figured out any lyrics yet." Sweetie Belle said.

"Scootaloo's been really eager ta come up with something." Babs Seed told them.

"Well, of course I am." Scootaloo replied. "I'm trying to do this for Rainbow Dash."

"Ah know that ya admire her but do ya think she'll like it if we wrote a song about her?" Apple Bloom asked her purple clad pegasus friend.

"From what Rarity's told me, she'd be over the moon about it." Sweetie Belle said with a grin.

"Yeah Rainbow Dash loves ta hear how awesome she is." Babs Seed agreed as she held back a small chuckle.

"I'm surprised that all the attention never goes to her head." Diamond Tiara said in an impressed tone.

"She shows off a bit but she's never as bad as you'd think she'd be." Silver Spoon agreed.

The group of six were also members of another group that was known as The Rainbow Dash Fan Club. This club was comprised of themselves and almost every other filly in the town. It had started when Rainbow Dash had been a hero for the town of Ponyville. Every filly was in awe of the rainbow maned pegasus but none idolized her nearly as much as Scootaloo did. She was Rainbow Dash's most devoted fan and therefore the leader of the club. It was this type of devotion that led to the founding of the club. The only adult members of the club were Rainbow Dash's friends Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Applejack. Each of them wanted to give the rainbow maned pegasus pony all of the support that they possibly could.

The four future rock stars started to play their new song while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon listened. They loved the music that was being played and they agreed that Rainbow Dash would love it too. After this was over, the four fillies played their theme song which Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had never heard before. The duo enjoyed the song that was performed by the foursome. Eventually the duo had to go home and the foursome went to their homes soon afterwards. As the four fillies laid down in their beds they couldn't help but think about Las Pegasus. All of them wished that they could get the chance to go to the famous city of lights and casinos but they knew that they wouldn't have such a chance for a very long time. It was highly unlikely that their sisters would ever bring them to Las Pegasus so they would have to wait until they became adults. The foursome sighed as they thought about the long wait that they would have to endure before they could go to Las Pegasus. It was like getting their cutie marks all over again, it seemed like it would never happen.

Little did they know that they would get their chance soon and it would lead to an adventure that all four of them would remember for the rest of their lives. Their wishes would be granted very soon but a trip to Las Pegasus wouldn't be as casual and carefree as they thought it would be.


	2. Chapter 2: Unintentional Heroes

**Chapter 2: Unintentional Heroes**

The four members of The Cutie Mark Crusaders woke up the next day and their thoughts were of the massive city of Las Pegasus. While Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hadn't bragged about their trip, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were still extremely eager to go to the city. They had heard so many good things about Las Pegasus and they wanted to go there so badly. However they knew that even if they were to go to the city ,there wouldn't be much for them to do since Las Pegasus was meant more for adult ponies than it was for fillies. The four young fillies walked through the town of Ponyville as they all imagined what it would be like if they got a chance to go to Las Pegasus. None of the four friends could even begin to describe how exciting a trip to Las Pegasus would be for them.

"Las Pegasus sounds so awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed to her friends excitedly. "I wanna go there right now!"

"Ah know but we ain't gonna get ta go until we're grown." Apple Bloom replied in a sad sort of voice.

"I wish we could go." Sweetie Belle said. "It sounds so amazing."

"Yeah and it'd be fun ta gamble right?" Babs Seed asked her friends eagerly. "Ah want ta try my hoof at blackjack."

The foursome remembered the time when Gilda had taught them a card game called blackjack weeks ago. They had used it as a means of passing the time when they were on their train ride to Canterlot for the talent show. They knew that the card game was one of many ways that ponies in Las Pegasus would gamble in an attempt to make money. Each of the four fillies wanted to see what it was like to really gamble because it sounded like a lot of fun from the few ponies that had told them about it. However they needed to be adults in order to gamble and those days were many years away for the foursome. They kept walking with saddened expressions on their faces until they came to a crowd of ponies that had gathered in the center of town for something that seemed important.

Curious as to what the commotion was about, The Cutie Mark Crusaders squeezed their way through the crowd of ponies and saw that Princess Celestia's chariot was moving through the streets of Ponyville. It seemed like today was a day that The Sun Goddess had chosen to be part of a parade through Ponyville. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were in shock at the fact that they had forgotten about this event completely. This was the very month when Princess Celestia would parade through the many towns that were scattered throughout Equestria.

Princess Celestia wasn't the type to flaunt her authority to other ponies. However ponies all across Equestria admired and worshipped her and wanted to see her. So once every five years, Princess Celestia would spend an entire month parading through the many towns of Ponyville so that her subjects could get the chance to see her. She never stayed in one town for very long since there was quite a number of towns and cities in Equestria, but the citizens appreciated the time she spent greatly. The Sun Goddess was well liked and revered throughout her land so a parade like this one was a very special occasion that everypony looked forwards to immensely.

Princess Celestia's golden chariot moved through the streets as the ponies cheered for their princess. The vehicle had no roof on it which allowed the sun to shine down and illuminate the white alicorn's elegant flowing multicolored mane. The townsponies gave their princess words of admiration and worship which caused The Sun Goddess to smile. She might not be one to seek attention and praise but she didn't mind receiving it. The Cutie Mark Crusaders watched the chariot move and then their eyes widened as they saw the vehicle start to rapidly gain speed as the stallion that was driving it started losing control over the vehicle.

Princess Celestia's magnificent chariot was speeding out of control and it was careening towards a cliff! There was no way that any amount of magic or strength would be able to stop it. The townsponies started to panic and fear for the safety of their princess. The Sun Goddess could easily save herself but she was more concerned for the guards that were with her. It might have been their sworn duty to protect her but Princess Celestia didn't want to see them get hurt if she could prevent it. The Sun Goddess used her magic to teleport her guards to the safety of the sides of the streets but she didn't even think about using her magic to save herself.

Quick as a flash, The Cutie Mark Crusaders leapt into action. The four fillies ran to grab a net that had been lying on the side of a nearby building. It was a fairly large net which would require all four of the fillies to carry it. After grabbing the net, they sprinted as fast as they could towards the runaway chariot. It took a lot of effort but soon enough they had managed to catch up to the runaway carriage. They held the net out as they ran alongside the vehicle. Princess Celestia jumped off of the chariot not a moment too soon and she landed in the safety of the net that was carried by The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The four fillies gently lowered The Sun Goddess to the ground and the audience let out deafening cheers for them as they swarmed the scene. Princess Celestia thanked the four fillies from the bottom of her heart for saving her from what would have been a very terrible accident.

"You saved my life." she said gratefully as the four fillies bowed to her once the crowd had walked away. "Is there anything that I could do to repay you?"

The four fillies quickly shook their heads in response to Princess Celestia's offer. While they were tempted to ask for a reward, they didn't want to seem like they were selfish or that they had only saved The Sun Goddess to get a reward.

"We're just doing our part." Scootaloo said.

"We don't save others ta get paid." Apple Bloom agreed.

"It's an honor to have saved you, Your Majesty." Sweetie Belle told her.

"We're more than happy ta help." Babs Seed finished.

"I still think that your resourcefulness deserves to be rewarded." Princess Celestia told the four fillies that stood before her. She wasn't going to take any sort of refusal from the four fillies for an answer. "Please tell me is there anything that you really want?"

The four fillies looked at each other for a moment and their eyes widened as they realized what they could ask to get from Princess Celestia. This could be what they were waiting for. This could be their big chance.

"We want to go to Las Pegasus." Scootaloo exclaimed in an excited tone.

"We've never been there before." Apple Bloom added as she looked at The Sun Goddess.

"The train tickets are so expensive." Sweetie Belle said.

"And we want ta see what the city is like." Babs Seed finished.

"Very well." Princess Celestia told them with a smile on her face. After a few minutes, she pulled out four slips of paper as well as four things that The Cutie Mark Crusaders had never seen before. They looked a lot like cards. The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at the cards with curious expressions on their faces and they stared at Princess Celestia in a very confused state.

"Here are your train tickets for a round trip to Las Pegasus." Princess Celestia said. "I have also given you these cards that will allow you to have all the rights of adult ponies for one week. Use them wisely."

With that, Princess Celestia took to the skies and headed back to Canterlot. Her guards quickly followed suit and The Cutie Mark Crusaders were left in awe. This was it. They finally had the chance to go to Las Pegasus. Their cards would last them for a week plus the two days in between this day and the day that the train that would take them to Las Pegasus would arrive. The four fillies grinned broadly at each other and they spoke at once.

"Wait till our sisters hear about this." they said in very excited tones as they quickly ran off to try and find Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack.


	3. Chapter 3: Guardian Griffon

**Chapter 3: Guardian Griffon**

"Absolutely not!"

Rarity's voice was very firm as she gazed at The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The foursome had found her along with their other sisters and they met up inside of SugarCube Corner. Applejack and Rainbow Dash seemed to share the same opinion as the unicorn about the whole situation. The foursome had been extremely excited when they had found their sisters. While Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack had been very pleased to hear how the fillies had saved Princess Celestia, the three adult ponies were not as pleased with the idea of their little sisters going to the huge city of Las Pegasus all by themselves. All of them felt like that would be an extremely bad idea to let the four fillies go to such a big city. The Cutie Mark Crusaders didn't like what they were hearing and they tried desperately to plead their case.

"But we really want to go." Scootaloo practically begged as she looked Rainbow Dash in the eyes and tried to look sympathetic in the hopes of winning her sister over.

"Ah always wanted ta see what it was like in Las Pegasus." Apple Bloom said as she looked at Applejack.

"We'll be good we promise!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she stared Rarity in the eyes and tried to look honest.

"Yeah we won't cause any trouble." Babs Seed agreed. The drummer of the group wasn't sure who to look at since none of the three ponies were her sisters so she decided to look at Pinkie Pie who was busy making cupcakes. The pink pony didn't say a word and she seemed totally oblivious to the conversation.

"I'm sorry girls but I just don't feel safe sending you to Las Pegasus by yourselves." Rarity said in a sad yet firm voice.

"Ah agree with Rarity." Applejack continued. "Y'all are far too young ta go ta that kind of a place by yourselves."

"But if you guys went with us." Scootaloo began hopefully as she put on a pleading expression. However trying to look sympathetic wouldn't get the orange pegasus anywhere.

"We're too busy." Rainbow Dash interrupted firmly. However her gaze softened as she looked at her little sister. "I'm sorry Scoots." she said as her pink and purple eyes looked at Scootaloo. "But we just don't have the time to take you to Las Pegasus."

"I have a lot of orders that I need to fill." Rarity said as she thought about the work that needed to be done at Carousel Boutique with a small shudder. Orders were starting to pile in as many enthusiastic ponies wanted to get a head start on their costumes for Nightmare Night.

"Ah have ta help get the land ready for the next harvest." Applejack continued. Sweet Apple Acres was preparing itself for another harvest and they would definitely need Applejack's help with all of the work that had to be done.

"And I have to manage the weather here." Rainbow Dash finished as she thought about the rain that would be needed for Sweet Apple Acres and the many other parts of Ponyville.

The four fillies looked down to the ground with sad expressions on their faces. They had been so excited to have the chance to go to Las Pegasus and now they were unable to go. Their sisters held them in a hug and apologized but it didn't help the moods of the four fillies.

"We're very sorry girls." Rarity began.

"We would bring ya ta Las Pegasus if we could." Applejack continued.

"But we just don't have enough time on our hooves." Rainbow Dash finished.

The four fillies muttered responses as they continued to look down towards the floor of the bakery. The Cutie Mark Crusaders wanted to go to Las Pegasus so badly and they had lost their chance. They were on their way out the door when it opened and Gilda walked in. The brown and white griffon entered the bakery and noticed the four upset fillies.

"Whats got you guys so down?" she asked curiously as she looked over at the saddened fillies that were The Cutie Mark Crusaders.

The four fillies explained the situation in emotionless tones and Gilda listened intently. She had been impressed with how the foursome had saved The Sun Goddess but she also understood what Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack had said. She gazed at the three adult ponies and back at the fillies. Gilda might not have been related to any of The Cutie Mark Crusaders but she still liked them a lot and she was a huge fan of the rock and roll music that they played. Because of this, she hated seeing the four fillies look as upset as they were now.

"Tell ya what." she said to the foursome with a slight grin on her face. "I'll take ya to Las Pegasus. How's that sound?"

Instantly the faces of the four fillies lit up. The excitement that they had felt when they had gotten their tickets had been rekindled by what Gilda had said. Before they got too excited, they gazed at their sisters.

"Can we go?" Scootaloo asked her sister hopefully.

"We really want ta go." Apple Bloom said.

"We'll be on our best behavior." Sweetie Belle added.

"We promise not ta cause any trouble." Babs Seed finished.

Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack looked at each other uncertainly. They had a quick whispered discussion with each other for a few moments. The Cutie Mark Crusaders couldn't hear a word that was being said between the three ponies and they anxiously awaited their response. Would their sisters allow them to go to Las Pegasus if Gilda was to accompany them? Surely their sisters would be kind enough to allow them to go on a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Las Pegasus. The four fillies held their breath as their sisters broke apart. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack looked at their sisters and began to speak.

"I think that Gilda can bring you." Rarity said as the corners of her mouth began to quirk upwards in a very small grin.

"Ah think that it'll be fine." Applejack agreed with a smile showing on her face.

"Just remember." Rainbow Dash told the group of four fillies firmly. "What Gilda says goes. She's in charge."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders cheered and promised to do anything that Gilda said. They tackled Gilda in a huge group hug and the griffon almost fell to the ground. The four fillies were ecstatic about going to Las Pegasus with Gilda. They couldn't wait for their train to arrive. According to their tickets the train would be there in three days. The Cutie Mark Crusaders left the bakery and they could barely contain their glee. Gilda meanwhile smiled as she watched the four fillies run excitedly through the streets of Ponyville. The griffon was very happy to see the four fillies look so pleased and she was also looking forwards to the prospect of going to Las Pegasus. She turned and was surprised to see the expressions that were showing on the faces of Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack. Instead of looking happy, the three ponies were all looking really nervous for some strange reason.

"What's got you guys so worked up?" Gilda wondered.

"You have no idea what you got yourself into G." Rainbow Dash said as she gave Gilda a look that was almost like pity in a way. Gilda was confused as she stared at her three friends.

"They can definitely be quite a hooful at times." Rarity agreed as she shook her head at the griffon.

"Ah hope y'all are prepared for anything." Applejack said to the brown and white griffon.

"Oh come on." Gilda replied. "How much trouble could four little fillies be?"

The three ponies looked at each other with wide eyes before Rainbow Dash spoke.

"Trust me G." she said in a serious tone that was extremely off putting. "You're gonna wish you didn't say that."

With that, the three ponies left the bakery and a very confused Gilda behind. Gilda was definitely curious about what her friends had meant. While she knew that The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't the most careful of fillies, Gilda was sure that they couldn't be that hard to take care of. Shaking her head at her friends' overreaction, Gilda left the bakery and walked through the streets of Ponyville. She quickly bought a ticket for the train ride that she would take with The Cutie Mark Crusaders and wondered why her friends seemed so nervous for her. Surely The Cutie Mark Crusaders couldn't be that much trouble. How bad could a trip to Las Pegasus with them be?


	4. Chapter 4: To The City

**Chapter 4: To The City**

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were inside of their clubhouse on the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres and all four of them were extremely excited. In three days' time they would be going to Las Pegasus with Gilda the Griffon. While they didn't know much about the brown and white griffon, they were certain that she'd let them have some fun. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Babs Seed waited while Sweetie Belle worked on new clothing for them. The unicorn filly wanted to make dresses that the foursome could wear to the casinos when they were staying in the city of Las Pegasus.

Sweetie Belle's hooves moved quickly as she worked to create the dresses for herself and her three friends. While it wasn't normal for them to wear clothes aside from their rock band outfits, the foursome agreed that they should look good when they entered the casino. They wanted to look their absolute best for their trip to Las Pegasus. The white unicorn filly kept working until the first dress was finished. She quickly gave it to Scootaloo and started to work on her second creation. When she was finished with Apple Bloom's dress she made one for Babs Seed and then focused on her own clothing. Once all four of the dresses were finished the foursome put them on and looked at themselves in a mirror that Sweetie Belle had gotten from Rarity. Each of them admired the way they looked in their new dresses.

"These are just like our rock band outfits." Scootaloo noted as she stared at the purple dress she was wearing with a smile growing on her face.

"Ah like it." Apple Bloom said happily as she admired her new outfit. "Ya did a great job on them Sweetie Belle."

"Yeah these dresses are cool." Babs Seed agreed as she looked at herself in the mirror and liked what she saw.

Sweetie Belle blushed a little bit and she thanked her friends for the compliments. Their dresses had been designed in the exact same way as their rock band outfits. Scootaloo's dress was a dark purple color with many light blue and pink triangles spread out on its surface. Apple Bloom's new dress was pitch black and it had many white stars decorating it. Babs Seed's dress was a bold red with many black skulls placed all over it. Sweetie Belle's dress was a hot pink sort of color with many light green stripes on it. The four fillies admired the way they looked in their dresses before they put them in their bags to bring to Las Pegasus. The foursome couldn't wait to get to the city. They had wanted to get there so badly and soon they would have their wish. Every one of them was extremely excited as they walked around town.

Gilda meanwhile was sitting inside of the cloud castle that she lived in with Rainbow Dash. The griffon was extremely excited about going to Las Pegasus but at the same time she was a bit nervous about the warnings that she had been given by Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack. All three of them had acted like this trip to Las Pegasus could result in disaster. Gilda just didn't understand what they were all so worried about. Sure it wouldn't be easy to take care of the foursome but they surely couldn't cause that much trouble. Gilda put her worries from her mind and instead focused on all of the fun she would have in Las Pegasus. A grin grew on the griffon's face as she imagined what it would be like to go to that city. This was going to be a fun week for her. She was definitely going to enjoy herself in the city of Las Pegasus. Gilda was very certain of that.

The next few days passed by rather quickly for the four fillies and Gilda. The wait wasn't as long as they had thought it would be and soon enough they woke up and went to the train station. Thankfully Gilda had gotten a room for them at a hotel so they didn't have anything to worry about. Gilda had packed her bags with some stuff to pass the time and she had brought along the bits she had saved from her job at the gym. The brown and white griffon had never gone gambling before so she was excited at trying it for the very first time. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were also extremely excited to try something new. While they weren't going to get a cutie mark in gambling, they were still excited about the whole concept even if they wouldn't be able to do it again for a good few years.

The group of five met at the train station with Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Babs Seed's parents. They all waited for the train to pull into the station. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had made sure that they had the cards that they had gotten from Princess Celestia. If they didn't bring those then they wouldn't be able to go into the casinos. Soon enough the train arrived and the group of five got on board and found a compartment for themselves. They then all waved goodbye to their friends and families as the train pulled away from the train station in Ponyville and headed off to the city of Las Pegasus. The excitement started to build among the group of five. This was really it. The four fillies and Gilda were finally going to be able to go to the city of Las Pegasus.

The train ride to Las Pegasus was largely uneventful. Thankfully Gilda had brought along a deck of cards and she played multiple games of blackjack with the foursome. The Cutie Mark Crusaders wanted to be as good at the card game as they could be by the time they arrived at Las Pegasus. After a couple games, Scootaloo pulled out a piece of paper and tried to think of some lyrics for the song she was writing for Rainbow Dash. Very few lines came to the mind of the orange pegasus filly and the few that did were immediately dismissed as lame or corny. After a couple fruitless minutes, Scootaloo gave up. She decided to work on the song when she got back to Ponyville. Scootaloo then went back to playing cards with the rest of the group.

An hour or two later, they had to admit that some of the fun was wearing off. The group of five was extremely excited to get to the city of Las Pegasus but the train ride was taking forever. Boredom was starting to set in and the five friends tried to do anything they could to amuse themselves. Unfortunately blackjack had lost a lot of its appeal after twenty or so games.

"I'm so bored." Scootaloo grumbled after she had gone over the twenty-one mark. She waited for the game to be over so that she could join in on the next one.

"Ah know Scoots." Apple Bloom replied. "Ah wish this train would hurry up."

"We've been on this train for hours." Sweetie Belle complained.

"How much longer till we get ta Las Pegasus?" Babs Seed asked.

"Probably another hour." Gilda said with a groan. She too was getting bored of playing blackjack without gambling and was really eager to reach the city of Las Pegasus. Blackjack was a fun card game but it lost a lot of its entertainment value when there wasn't any money riding on the game.

"Las Pegasus is gonna be awesome." Scootaloo declared with a grin on her face.

"Ah can't wait." Apple Bloom said as some excitement started to make its way back into her facial expression.

"This is going to be so much fun." Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Ah bet Gilda's as excited as we are." Babs Seed said as she looked at the griffon.

Gilda grinned at this statement as the next card game started. She dealt out the cards and waited for Scootaloo and Apple Bloom to make their moves. When she spoke her voice and expression were quite serious.

"Just remember." Gilda said in a very firm tone as she waited for Sweetie Belle to make her decision. "They left me in charge of ya. I wanna have fun just like you guys do but I'm not gonna go chasing you all around Las Pegasus. We're gonna stick together. If you don't like it then we'll just head right back home. Got it?"

The four fillies nodded and promised that they would stick together. They were extremely eager to have a lot of fun in Las Pegasus and they didn't want to ruin it by getting Gilda irritated. Gilda was satisfied with their promises and she looked just as eager to get to the city as the fillies did. The group of five could hardly wait for the train to arrive in the city of Las Pegasus. Finally the train started to slow down and it pulled to a stop in the Las Pegasus train station.

The group of five got off of the train and took a public chariot to their hotel. The ride to the hotel didn't take long and soon they found themselves staring at a very impressive looking building. They went inside and they were in awe of the place. While it wasn't as beautiful as the hotel they had stayed at in Canterlot, it was still a very impressive and good looking area. They approached the counter and were escorted to their room on the tenth floor of the building. The hotel staff unlocked the door and the group of five entered the room. Each of them received a key to the place and then the workers left them to their business.

The hotel room might not have been up to the same standard as the one in Canterlot but it was still spotless, clean, and well organized. The bold red couches sat in the main part of the room while the spotless shiny silver surfaces of the kitchen's appliances reflected the sunlight coming in from the huge glass window. The window was a single piece of clear clean glass which gave the group of five a very impressive view of the city below them. The hotel room didn't have a balcony but none of the five cared about that. Their hotel room contained two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Gilda took one bedroom which only had a single bed while The Cutie Mark Crusaders took the other bedroom which had two smaller beds. Just like the last time they had stayed in a hotel, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shared one of the beds while Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed shared the other one. The group of five unpacked all of their belongings and debated about which of the many casinos they would go to. Their reservations would only last them for a week so they needed to make the most out of it. Finally they decided on one of the casinos and after the four fillies put on their new dresses, they were walking out the doors of the hotel and they were off to see what gambling was really like.


	5. Chapter 5: Luck of a Griffon

**Chapter 5: Luck of a Griffon**

Gilda led the way to the casino with the four fillies following closely behind her. Many ponies that passed by the group stared at the young ponies and snickered at the outrageous outfits that they were wearing. Despite the curious and mocking looks that they received, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Babs Seed had huge smiles showing on their faces. They were finally going to go to a casino for the first time in their lives. Even Gilda was having a hard time hiding her excitement at the prospect of seeing a casino. The brown and white griffon had never gone to a casino before so this was just as interesting for her as it was for The Cutie Mark Crusaders. They walked onwards through the crowded and noisy streets of Las Pegasus until they finally came to a stop right in front of what was known as the finest casino that could be found in the whole entire massive city of Las Pegasus. This particular casino was known as The Celestia's Palace Casino due to its majestic appearance and extraordinarily famous reputation.

The group of five stared at the magnificent building that towered the over scene before them. Its many glowing neon lights shined brightly in the darkening sky and drew the attention of the ponies that were walking. The lights flashed in a variety of colors that stood out among the rest of the city. Greens, blues, pinks, purples, reds, yellows, and oranges decorated the huge building before them. Spotlights lit up the entrance as their white lights beamed high into the sky. The massive sign that was right above the doorway illuminated the area as the group of five stared at the clear glass doors that led into the building, Two serious muscular stallions were standing in front of the doors checking everypony that walked in for identity. The group of five approached them and the guards were reluctant to allow The Cutie Mark Crusaders to walk into the casino. However after the foursome showed their cards to them, the stallions nodded and they let them into the building. The group of four walked through the clear glass doors and stared with wide eyes at the magnificent room that they were in.

Aside from the doors they had just come through, there were no windows anywhere in the casino for as far as Gilda or The Cutie Mark Crusaders could see. The carpet that covered the floor was a bold fiery red that was very similar to Babs Seed's dress. The walls must have been at least twenty feet tall and they were painted in a fancy gold sort of color. The roof of the casino was extremely impressive as it had a giant mural on it that looked as if it was painted by hoof. The mural depicted a scene that wouldn't have been out of place in a fantasy story. It showed a stallion bravely and valiantly battling face to face with some sort of horrifying monster. The casino was filled with all kinds of ponies. Earth ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and even a few griffons were in the building gambling their money. Tables had been set up all over the casino and various card games were taking place at each of them. There were other types of tables that Gilda described as a game called roulette. Golden wheels spun as many ponies eagerly waited to see where the shiny silver ball would land. There were also some rather noisy machines being occupied by the customers that were trying to make a profit. Every now and then, bits would pour from the machines but it wasn't too common. Cheers and groans could be heard every couple of seconds as ponies either won or lost their wagers. The mouth watering scents of many different types of foods filled the nostrils of Gilda and The Cutie Mark Crusaders as they eagerly looked in the direction of the kitchen. Ponies and griffons alike were eating at shining dark brown wooden tables seated in chairs or at booths and Gilda was very certain that she could smell the unmistakable scent of salmon frying in a pan. Just the thought of eating something that was so delicious was almost enough to make Gilda lose focus. The scarlet carpet felt extremely soft underneath their paws and hooves as Gilda and The Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way through the casino. All of them were very eager to give gambling a shot but none of them knew where to start.

The group of five counted up their bits and knew that they didn't have a lot. Gilda only had five thousand bits on her while The Cutie Mark Crusaders only had a few hundred bits each. The four fillies made their way to the slot machines while Gilda sat down at a nearby table and joined a game of blackjack. Scootaloo inserted ten bits into the machine and then she pulled the lever downwards. From the moment that the many symbols started flashing, Scootaloo was becoming mesmerized. The orange pegasus filly watched as the symbols slowed to a stop and showed three apples. Then bits started pouring out and Scootaloo realized that she had gotten fifty bits for the ten that she had spent. With a bit of eagerness inside of her, the purple wearing pony put ten more bits into the machine and pulled the lever once again. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Babs Seed were also enthralled by how the slot machines worked. Each of the four fillies enjoyed the feeling of taking the risk of losing their money. Each of the fillies had lost a few bits but then they made a rather respectable amount. The four fillies started with five hundred bits each and after several tries, they wound up with about twenty-five hundred bits each. The fillies were excited as they looked over to where Gilda was.

The brown and white griffon had a grin on her face as she looked at the small pile of casino chips that was sitting on the green table in front of her. Gilda had started with five thousand bits and now she had ten thousand bits worth of casino chips sitting right in front of her. Grinning to herself, Gilda continued her game while The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood by her and watched. After a few minutes, they joined in and sat down at the table. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom pooled their bits together while Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed did the same. The fillies worked in teams of two and tried to win some money. They had some success but they weren't anything compared to Gilda. Slowly ten thousand bits became fifteen thousand and fifteen thousand became twenty-thousand. Gilda was grinning broadly to herself as she watched her money start to slowly pile up.

"Wow Gilda." Scootaloo said in an awe filled tone. "You're really good at this."

"Ah never knew that ya could be that good at a card game." Apple Bloom whispered in shock.

"I thought you said blackjack was tough?" Sweetie Belle asked her in disbelief.

"There's no way ya haven't played before." Babs Seed finished as she looked at the griffon.

Gilda grinned as she looked at the four fillies that were with her. The brown and white griffon was making a huge profit and she was very pleased with and proud of herself. She hadn't expected to be so successful at gambling but she was definitely making her fair share of bits.

"It's all luck." she told the four awestruck fillies as they watched her pile of chips get larger and larger as time went by.

"Well, you gotta be the luckiest griffon ever." Scootaloo replied as she looked at the pile of casino chips that was set in front of the griffon.

"Ah can't believe that y'all are doin' so well." Apple Bloom sighed. The yellow pony was very impressed with how well Gilda was doing.

"You could retire in a week at this pace." Sweetie Belle exclaimed as her bright green eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when she looked at the pile of casino chips.

"Luck of a griffon." Babs Seed said with a grin on her face. The red clad earth pony was very eager to earn as many bits as Gilda was getting. "Am Ah right?"

The group of five laughed as Gilda decided to cash in her chips. The four fillies followed her and admired the amount of money that they had gotten. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had increased their bits ten fold while Gilda had quadrupled the amount of bits she had. The brown and white griffon treated the group to dinner. The four fillies each ate a plate of hay fries that they enjoyed while Gilda chowed down on a very delicious piece of salmon. Once that was all over, they headed back to their hotel room. After putting their bits in a safe place, they prepared themselves for bed. Their time at the casino was a blast. It was so thrilling to be gambling for the first time in their lives. Taking a big risk gave the group of five a feeling of excitement that couldn't be matched. All of them were looking forwards to the next day where they would go back to Celestia's Palace and hopefully they would earn more bits. This trip was a ton of fun and it had just gotten started. The group of five still had another five full days to spend in the city of Las Pegasus before they would have to take a train ride back to Ponyville. They were definitely going to enjoy those five days as much as they could.

"Hey girls." Gilda said to the four fillies before they went into their bedrooms for a good night's sleep. "What do ya say we keep this a secret? Just between the five of us."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders agreed and they all promised not to breathe a word of what happened during their time in Las Pegasus to anypony back in Ponyville. None of their sisters or their friends would know anything what they were doing while they were in the city of lights. Grinning to themselves, the group of five got settled into their beds and they fell into a very relaxed sleep as they laid down on the soft mattresses with the cream colored blankets pulled over their bodies. The night went on as the group of five slept peacefully in their hotel room and awaited the start of their second day in Las Pegasus.


	6. Chapter 6: Gilda Gets Grabbed

**Chapter 6: Gilda Gets Grabbed**

Celestia's sun rose into the sky the next day and it shined down on the city of Las Pegasus. The rooftops gleamed in the light of the morning sun. Ponies awoke from their slumber and went about their normal day. The casinos weren't open just yet but that would change in a few short hours. Gilda and The Cutie Mark Crusaders slept on as they had no real schedule planned. They slept in and they would only wake up when they felt like it. After all, that's what ponies do when they go on vacation.

The group of five had enjoyed the time they had spent at The Celestia's Palace Casino the previous night immensely. They had loved the rush of excitement and adrenaline that they got from gambling in the building. Each of them were very eager to spend more time in the casino and they hoped that they would earn more bits. None of the five friends had gambled before this week but all of them were enjoying it. While The Cutie Mark Crusaders' primary talent and passion would be their rock music, they still loved to gamble. They all wanted to enjoy it as much as they could since they knew that they wouldn't have another chance like this for years. It would be a very long time before they became adults and it was highly unlikely that they would be able to save a princess from disaster again.

When the group of five finally woke from their slumber, they were still feeling the adrenaline from the previous night's events. They had loved gambling and they couldn't wait to give it another go. However the Celestia's Palace Casino wouldn't be open for another four hours so they had a bit of time to kill. The four fillies chatted with each other while Gilda tried to make breakfast. All the while she smiled to herself. Her friends had been so worried about the kinds of trouble that The Cutie Mark Crusaders would get into but they hadn't done anything yet. The four fillies were excited sure but they hadn't broken anything or hurt anypony. Gilda would have loved to have been able to tell her friends that they had worried over nothing but she had been sworn to secrecy by The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The four fillies were very serious about the promise they had made and they expected Gilda to be just as serious about it too. The brown and white griffon set down five plates of food and the group began to eat. While Gilda's cooking abilities weren't the greatest, the food she had made was still quite tasty. The five friends ate and chatted with each other cheerfully. All of them were in incredibly good moods as they cleaned their dishes and debated about what to do before the doors to Celestia's Palace opened. Gilda read a few brochures and tried to find some interesting activities that would also be appropriate for fillies. The brown and white griffon flipped through the various brochures until something in particular caught her attention.

The brochure Gilda was holding was advertising a go kart race for all ages. Gilda checked the price and found that it was very reasonable. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were very eager to give it a try and soon enough the foursome left the hotel and headed off to where the race would be held. They quickly arrived at the place that held the race and they were ready to go. They got into their go karts and waited for the race to begin. The lights flashed red then yellow and then green. The group of five as well as their five competitors sped off and the race was underway. Gilda took an early lead with The Cutie Mark Crusaders right behind her. The laps went by quickly and soon enough it was down to the third and final lap of the race. Gilda was still in the lead but Scootaloo was right behind her. The orange pegasus was soon neck and neck with the griffon and the finish line was just a few feet away. Scootaloo and Gilda pushed their vehicles to the absolute limit and the orange pegasus filly got a very slim lead and managed to win the race. After this, Scootaloo took a quick victory lap and then the group of five left the go kart track and walked through the streets.

Gilda checked their time and saw that they still had three more hours before Celestia's Palace would be open. They decided to go out to eat at a restaurant. The group of five sat down at a table and waited for their meal to arrive. Once it came they ate eagerly and savored the taste of the food. Once their meal was finished they left the building and they went back to the hotel. They sat around the room and chatted for a little while to pass the time. One could quite easily sense the excitement and enthusiasm they felt about going back to the casino. Gambling had filled them with a huge surge of adrenaline and they were eager to experience that excitement once again. Finally the time was right and the casino would be opening its doors very soon. The four fillies put on their dresses and then they went out the door with Gilda. The group of five made their way to the casino with their bits in their bags and they entered the building.

The group of five was still in awe of how beautiful Celestia's Palace Casino looked despite having been there before. All of them were eager to do some more gambling. The Cutie Mark Crusaders quickly made their way over to the slot machines again while Gilda went over to a roulette table that was positioned close enough for her to keep an eye on them. The brown and white griffon liked the four fillies but she knew that sometimes their enthusiasm could lead to an accident or two. Gilda placed her bets and watched as the golden wheel spun around and around. She let out a groan when it landed on a different number than what she had picked. After a few more attempts with the same results, she gave up and made her way over to a blackjack table. The Cutie Mark Crusaders meanwhile were losing quite a bit of money at the slot machines. Eventually they gave up and joined Gilda at the table. Their luck started to turn around and soon enough the bits started pouring in. Just like the night before, Gilda was making the most out of any member of the group of five. Her pile of casino chips quickly grew at a very rapid rate and her grin grew with it. The Cutie Mark Crusaders made their fair share of bits but none of them had the success that Gilda had.

A couple of hours later and the group of five left the casino with more bits in their possession. They went to bed and woke up the next day ready to gamble some more. For the next few days they kept up this pattern. They made tons of bits and they enjoyed themselves while doing so. Four of their seven days in Las Pegasus had passed and now the group of five was entering The Celestia's Palace Casino for the fifth time that week. Gilda sat down at the table and played to her heart's content. The pile of casino chips before her grew higher and higher. The four fillies stared at her with looks of admiration on their faces. Gilda looked like she was having the time of her life.

While this was happening, a couple of ponies were watching Gilda with frowns on their faces. These ponies worked for the casino and they did not like the amount of bits that the griffon was earning. They watched Gilda intently as her pile of casino chips grew bigger and bigger. They were quite certain that she was up to something. One of the ponies mumbled to the other and he nodded. The duo made their way over to Gilda and tapped her on the shoulder. Gilda turned and her eyes widened slightly.

"What do ya want?" she asked the two stallions as she waited for her turn.

"You've made quite a lot of bits." the first stallion said in response.

"This must be a record." the second one lied. He knew full well that many ponies had earned a lot more money than Gilda was earning right now.

"Would you come with us?" the first asked.

"We want to get a picture of you for our casino's Hall of Fame." the second told her.

Gilda eyed the two ponies suspiciously and then she shook her white feathered head in response. She gave the two stallions a somewhat mocking glance as she spoke to them.

"No way." she said. "I'd rather hang here and make money."

With that, she turned back to the game of blackjack. The two stallions checked to make sure that nopony was looking their way and then they grabbed Gilda roughly. One of them covered her beak while the other smacked her in the head. The force of his punch as well as the unexpected nature of the attack caused Gilda to be knocked out. The two stallions dragged her off while The Cutie Mark Crusaders kept on playing. Suddenly Scootaloo noticed the events and she started to panic. The foursome hurriedly put away their casino chips and tried to follow Gilda. However the two stallions took her into a room and then they locked the door behind them. The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at each other in fear and then they ran back to the hotel. They quickly shut the door to their room behind them and tried to calm down though they were unsuccessful.

"What are we gonna do?" Scootaloo asked in a panicked tone.

"Ah hope Gilda's all right." Apple Bloom said.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Sweetie Belle wondered in a worried voice.

"How can we explain this ta our sisters?" Babs Seed asked.

The foursome eyed each other and then they silently agreed not to breathe a word of what had happened to any of their friends or relatives. However all of them were very concerned about the fate of Gilda. Would the griffon be okay and would they ever see her again?

Meanwhile in a small and dark room in The Celestia's Palace Casino, Gilda slowly regained consciousness. Her head was throbbing from the punch she had received and she had no idea where she was. Her light purple eyelids fluttered open to reveal her golden yellow eyes. After taking a moment to adjust to her dark surroundings, Gilda noticed the two stallions from earlier had entered the room. Her golden yellow eyes narrowed in anger as she glared at them. She tried to get up but she found herself strapped to a chair. Her forelegs had been tied to her back while her hind legs had been tied to the legs of the chair. A rope around her chest prevented her from moving at all. The only thing Gilda could do was turn her head to look at her captors. The two stallions glared at her as they started growling. Then the assault began and Gilda couldn't do anything aside from take the punches that were thrown at every inch of her body.


	7. Chapter 7: Planning The Rescue

**Chapter 7: Planning The Rescue**

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were sitting inside of their hotel room in a state of nervous tension. The hour was getting late and still Gilda had not returned. None of the foursome knew who the stallions were or why they had taken Gilda. All they knew was that this was a very bad situation to be in. Gilda was gone and they had no idea what was going to happen to her. Why had she been taken? One minute she was making a killing at the casino and the next she was in the custody of some rather surly looking stallions. The foursome sat in the main room of their hotel suite and all of them were very concerned for Gilda. Time went by and there was still no sign of her.

"Do ya think she'll be all right?" Scootaloo asked in a worried tone as she looked at her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Ah hope so." Apple Bloom replied in a quiet voice. "Ah really hope so."

"She'll be fine." Sweetie Belle said to assure herself as much as the others. "We just have to relax."

"Yeah Gilda can take care of herself." Babs Seed agreed.

The foursome stared at each other and then they went to bed. They laid down in their beds without even bothering to take off their dresses. They pulled the cream colored blankets over their bodies and said their goodnights. The two pairs of fillies slept very close together as if the presence of each other was reassuring to them. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom snuggled together while Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed held each other in their forelegs. The way they held each other wasn't romantic in any way. The foursome stuck together in the hopes that staying that way would keep them safe from the fate that had befallen Gilda.

Meanwhile Gilda was still in the custody of the ponies that had attacked her. Both of the stallions were furious at the griffon and they accused her of counting cards. Gilda had no idea what that meant and she kept trying to explain that to her captors but they refused to listen. They called Gilda a thief and a criminal and said that she would pay dearly for what she had done. The brown and white griffon wasn't being physically hurt anymore but she definitely wasn't safe. Gilda knew that she needed to escape but the ropes that bound her were too tight. She tried to use her claws to cut her binds but the ropes were just out of reach of the griffon's talons. Scowling to herself, Gilda gave up and tried to think of another escape plan. None came to mind and she was stuck thinking about The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Would the four fillies try to rescue her or were they in just as much trouble as she was? Gilda's eyes closed and she found herself falling into an uneasy and uncomfortable sleep.

Morning came and The Cutie Mark Crusaders didn't see Gilda anywhere in the hotel suite. The griffon had not come back to the room and there was no note explaining where she was or what was happening to her. The four fillies then began to get extremely worried about the griffon. It wasn't like her to abandon her friends like this. All four of the young ponies knew that Gilda did everything that she could for her friends. The group of four debated about whether or not they should try to send a letter to their families for help. However they dismissed that idea from their minds almost as quickly as they had thought of it. The letter would take days to reach Ponyville and they simply couldn't wait that long. They needed to figure out a way to save Gilda and quickly.

"Why did they do this to her?" Scootaloo asked angrily.

"Ah don't know Scoots." Apple Bloom answered. "Ah just don't know."

"Is it a crime for a griffon to make money these days?" Sweetie Belle growled angrily.

"Maybe they thought she was cheating." Babs Seed suggested.

"Gilda cheating?" Scootaloo repeated incredulously. "No way!"

"Gilda wouldn't cheat." Apple Bloom said firmly.

"Besides she says that blackjack is all luck." Sweetie Belle added. "How could anypony cheat at a game like that?"

"Ever heard of counting cards?" Babs Seed asked.

The other three fillies shook their heads in response. Babs Seed went on to explain that counting cards was a very difficult method of cheating at blackjack. If done right however it makes the player virtually unbeatable for he or she would know exactly what to do in any given situation. It was a banned practice in casinos all across Equestria and the punishments for being caught in the act of counting cards were very severe.

"Gilda wouldn't do that." Scootaloo told Babs Seed once she had finished her explanation. "Way too nerdy."

"She would never try ta cheat like that." Apple Bloom agreed.

"Gilda doesn't seem like she could count cards." Sweetie Belle said.

"That doesn't matter." Babs Seed replied. "If they think she's doin' it they're gonna punish her."

"We gotta save her!" Scootaloo declared.

"But we need ta think of a plan." Apple Bloom replied.

"What can we do?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Babs Seed had a grin on her face as she spoke to her friends.

"We're gonna do what Gilda did." Babs Seed told them. "We're gonna have ta just get lucky."

The foursome huddled together while Babs Seed whispered her plan to the others. She described how they would find Gilda and the others looked convinced though worried. This was an extremely risky move but it was the only chance that they had. They couldn't afford to wait for help from Ponyville and there was no way that they could convince the casino staff that Gilda was innocent. They checked the time and headed off to the casino with their bits in their bags. The group of four was on a mission to rescue Gilda. They marched to the doors of The Celestia's Palace Casino and took a deep breath. After a few moments, they walked into the casino and prepared themselves for their daring rescue mission. This was going to be a dangerous situation for the foursome.


	8. Chapter 8: Rescue Gilda

**Chapter 8: Rescue Gilda**

The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked into The Celestia's Palace Casino with very nervous yet determined expressions showing on their faces. The foursome was going to embark on a risky rescue mission to save their friend Gilda. They knew that she had been captured by casino staff and that she could be in danger. They did have a plan but it was very risky and it was highly unlikely that it would work. The foursome counted up their bits and decided to pool them all into one pile. Scootaloo would be the one that was gambling and the others would be supporting her whilst looking out for casino staff. The plan was that they would get caught so that they would find Gilda. Then they would try and figure out a way to escape from the casino. Of course they would have to get the attention of the casino staff and that would mean that they needed to be lucky enough to earn a large amount of bits.

The four fillies made their way to a blackjack table and sat down. Scootaloo exchanged her bits for casino chips and the game began. Many ponies glanced curiously at the bizarre dresses that were being worn by the foursome but none of them paid any mind. Rescuing Gilda was far more important than impressing the casino goers with their sense of fashion. Even if they cared what others thought, they still really liked the dresses that Sweetie Belle had made by herself. The foursome waited for a few moments and then it was their turn.

Scootaloo stared at the cards in her hooves. A ten and a four were what she held. The purple clad orange pegasus filly thought for a moment and then she made her decision.

"Hit me." she said to the card dealer.

The pony gave her another card and Scootaloo glanced at it.

Seven.

Scootaloo grinned as she showed her cards to the dealer. A small mound of casino chips was pushed her way and she added it to her pile. The cards were returned, shuffled, and dealt out again. Scootaloo looked and she had a nine and a two. That added up to eleven. She waited while the other ponies took their turns and thought about what her next move would be. A couple of ponies went over the twenty-one mark and were out for that round. A couple others decided to stick with what they had. Finally it was Scootaloo's turn once again.

"Hit me." she said.

The dealer handed her another card and Scootaloo had gotten a king. Grinning a bit more, she watched as even more casino chips were pushed her way. Her three friends smiled and supported her. The game kept on going and she kept on earning more and more bits. The dealer just kept pushing casino chips to the orange pegasus filly. Scootaloo was grinning broadly as her friends cheered. Slowly a crowd had started to gather around the table and they were shocked at the amount of bits that were being earned by such a young pony.

_Great just what I need: an audience. _Scootaloo thought to herself as she noticed the large surrounding crowd of very excited ponies. _Wait. That really _is _just what I need._

The pegasus pony smiled as her friends screamed for her. Their plan was going perfectly. The other three fillies kept a sharp eye out for any casino staff members that might have been watching them. They had set up a sort of signal with Scootaloo. If they spotted a worker pony making his way towards them one of them would give a complex warning. Once that happened Scootaloo would quit the game and pack up her chips. Then they'd try to make an escape but they knew that they'd be caught. Hopefully they'd be taken to the same place as Gilda and then they could rescue her.

Scootaloo's pile of casino chips grew steadily over time. She might not have been as lucky as Gilda had been but she was definitely getting her fair share of fortune. Her three friends were highly ecstatic for their friend. Apple Bloom had a huge grin on her face as she ruffled Scootaloo's mane up a little bit. The orange pegasus grinned and a very small blush appeared on her face. She kept her mind on the game and won several more rounds of blackjack. A few of the ponies from the crowd joined in and tried to beat Scootaloo but none of them were successful.

"Ya can do it Scoots!" Apple Bloom cheered.

"You're doing amazing!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

"Ah'm tellin' ya she's the best!" Babs Seed said to her friends and the crowd with a grin.

Scootaloo kept on playing and she really appreciated the compliments that she was getting from her friends. Granted it was part of the plan between them to attract attention but she could feel the honesty that was behind the words. A much more noticeable blush appeared on her face when Apple Bloom hugged her out of nowhere after Scootaloo had won her tenth round in a row. Normally her friends weren't so affectionate towards her due to her rather tomboyish personality but she actually enjoyed the hug a little bit.

Scootaloo kept playing while her friends kept a lookout for any ponies that worked for the casino. Suddenly Apple Bloom's eyes widened and she got the attention of Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed. She gestured towards a pair of very surly looking stallions that were steadily making their way towards the table. Their eyes never wavered from watching Scootaloo's progress. Quickly the trio knew what was happening.

"Hey Scoots." Apple Bloom said. "Ah think it's time ta go."

"Didn't you want to show us your new scooter trick?" Sweetie Belle asked her.

"Yeah you've been goin' on about that for a while." Babs Seed added.

Scootaloo quickly got the message from her friends. She got up from the table, swept her bits into her bag, and left the game of blackjack. The foursome made their way to the casino exit and they knew that the two security ponies were right behind them. They kept walking forwards and never looked back. They talked with each other and happily discussed the amount of bits that Scootaloo had earned. Suddenly Scootaloo felt a tap on her shoulder.

Instantly the four fillies spun around and noticed the two stallions from the previous day standing before them. The duo wore dark black shirts and pants as well as sunglasses which covered their eyes from view. Their manes were tanned and close cut. They stared at the four fillies before one of them spoke.

"You made quite the profit." the first security stallion said.

"I think you broke the casino record." the second one told her.

"Really?" Scootaloo asked in a faked tone of excitement while her friends pretended to look surprised.

"Definitely." the first replied.

"We need you to come with us." the second one continued.

"We need to get a picture of you for our casino's Hall of Fame." the first said. This statement was what had been a very commonly used lie amongst the casino's team of security ponies whenever they found a pony that they thought was counting cards to earn bits.

"Your friends can come to watch if they want." the second one told them.

"That sounds awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Let's go!"

The group of six walked through the casino and towards a doorway that had been marked as authorized personnel only. One of the stallions opened the door and ushered the four fillies inside. Then they tied them up and took away the bag of bits.

"So you thought you could cheat us huh?" the first one growled.

"Nopony cheats The Celestia's Palace Casino!" the second shouted.

The two stallions left the bag of bits behind as they left the room to fetch their boss. The four fillies sat together and they smiled a bit.

"Who's there?" a voice asked quietly.

"Gilda?" Scootaloo asked.

"Scoots?" Gilda asked immediately afterwards.

The two stared at each other and smiled. The room was dimly lit so the group of five could see each other somewhat clearly. As far as any of the four fillies could tell Gilda had very few if any bruises on her body. She had taken a bit of a beating when she had gotten captured but she was definitely a tough griffon.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Gilda asked her friends.

"We're gonna rescue ya." Scootaloo told her.

"Good job." Gilda said sarcastically as she glanced at her limbs which had been bound. Thankfully Scootaloo's hind legs weren't tied so she could make her way over to Gilda. She chewed at the ropes around her claws until they broke away. Then Gilda slashed at the rest of the ropes and she was free. She quickly freed the other four fillies and they rejoiced at their reunion.

"Now we just gotta bail this place." Gilda said enthusiastically.

"But those guards'll be back any time." Scootaloo said.

"They're not gonna let us leave." Apple Bloom said.

"We're never getting out of here." Sweetie Belle said.

"Ah guess we didn't think about this." Babs Seed muttered.

Gilda however grinned broadly at what she heard.

"Let's wait for 'em." she said. "I'm in the mood for a bit of payback."

The group of five waited for the door to open. The four fillies stood in the corner while Gilda waited by the door. Soon enough the door opened and the two security ponies walked in.

"The Boss'll be here soon." the first one said before he stopped short when he noticed a missing prisoner.

"Hey where's that bird brain gone to?" the second one asked.

Gilda moved stealthily behind the offending pony and whacked him on the back of his head. He went down like a sack of potatoes and he hit the cold gray stone floor. Gilda grinned down at him and spoke.

"Not fun when it happens to ya is it?" she said with a smirk before the other security pony tried to attack her. Gilda quickly caught his punch and countered with her own. The second stallion hit the ground and then Gilda tied the two of them together.

"Now let's bail." she said and the four fillies nodded enthusiastically.

The group of five left the room and headed out the doors of the casino. They went back to their hotel room and went straight to bed with grins on their faces. The daring rescue mission had gone perfectly and now Gilda had been safely reunited with The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Time went by and the group of five slept peacefully. Tomorrow would be the day when they would go back to Ponyville.


	9. Chapter 9: Back to Ponyville

**Chapter 9: Back to Ponyville**

The sun rose into the sky and illuminated the city of Las Pegasus. Gilda woke up and grinned when she realized that her rescue had not been a dream. She got out of her bed and went into the kitchen. She made some breakfast and then she was joined by The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The four fillies had packed away their dresses and they smiled when they saw Gilda. The brown and white griffon grinned at the foursome as she finished making breakfast. The five friends ate their meal and smiled.

"You guys really saved me." Gilda said. "I owe ya one."

"It was nothin'." Scootaloo told her.

"We helped ya 'cause y'all are our friend." Apple Bloom agreed.

"We always help our friends." Sweetie Belle added.

"Besides Ah bet ya would have done the same for us." Babs Seed finished.

"Yeah but still you guys saved my life." Gilda told them. "You're pretty cool ya know."

The group of five finished their meal and washed their plates. They checked the time and decided to pack their bags. Their time in Las Pegasus had come to an end and now it was time to go back to Ponyville. They had really enjoyed themselves during their week long stay but they knew that it was time to go. Their bags were packed and they gave their hotel room keys back to the staff members. They walked through the doors of the hotel and got a public chariot to take them to the train station. They sat at a table, waited for the train to arrive, and then the four fillies spoke to Gilda.

"Hey Gilda." Scootaloo began. "We're you _really _counting cards?"

"Ah don't believe that." Apple Bloom said. "Not for a minute."

"Yeah you would never do that." Sweetie Belle agreed. "You wouldn't cheat."

"Gilda wouldn't try ta cheat like that." Babs Seed said. "She earned her bits."

Gilda grinned as she looked at the four fillies.

"It's like Babs said." she told them. "Luck of a griffon." Her grin turned into a slight scowl as she continued to speak to the four fillies. "But I never got my bits back."

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle looked down a bit and frowned. In the process of rescuing Gilda, they had forgotten to grab their bag of casino chips. It looked like the group of five was going home broke. Babs Seed however was grinning rather broadly.

"Ah wouldn't say that." she said in a mischievous tone. "I grabbed a bag off of one of those guards and found all of your bits and ours."

She reached into her bag and pulled out another one. She turned it upside down and spilled its contents onto the table they were sitting at. A huge pile of bits fell from the bag and onto the wooden table. The group of five gasped in shock and then they grinned a bit.

"Looks like we're going home with some money." Gilda said.

The group of five cheered as the train pulled into their station. They grabbed their bits and got on board the train. They found a compartment for themselves and sat down as the train left Las Pegasus. They counted up their bits and were astonished to find that the five of them combined had earned fifty-thousand bits during their stay. They decided to divide the bits up evenly amongst the five of them so each friend wound up with ten thousand bits. The group of five made sure to remind each other about their agreement to keep the events of their trip a secret. The train rushed past fields of grass and small towns. The group of five chatted with each other and soon enough the train pulled into the station in Ponyville. The five friends got up and left the train. They stepped out into the bright afternoon sun and were greeted by Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack.

"So did you guys have fun?" Rainbow Dash asked her friends and sister eagerly as she quickly pulled both Gilda and Scootaloo into a hug.

"I hope there wasn't any trouble." Rarity said as she hugged Sweetie Belle rather tightly.

"Ah'm sure they were fine." Applejack replied in a reassuring tone as she hugged Apple Bloom and Babs Seed,

"So what was it like?" the three ponies asked simultaneously.

The group of five glanced at each other before they spoke at once.

"It's a secret." the five friends said in unison with grins on their faces as they tried to hold back their laughter.

The group of eight laughed a bit as they all headed to their homes. At the cloud castle in the sky, Rainbow Dash tried to get Gilda to talk about the trip but Gilda's only response was that she had been sworn to secrecy by The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Grinning slightly at her marefriend's frustration, Gilda laughed and gave Rainbow Dash a small peck on the cheek. After the rainbow maned pegasus left the room, the brown and white griffon smiled to herself. The trip to Las Pegasus had been a ton of fun and she would never breathe a word of it to anypony for as long as she lived.

**The End!**

**Author's Note: **I hope you guys enjoyed this story because I had a good time writing it. I want to take this moment to thank a friend of mine by the name of Crisist47. He is a cool guy that I met on Minecraft and he wanted to be a beta reader for this story. I want to thank him for being so helpful and being a great friend. (He's the only person I ever gave my fanfiction username to.) I don't know where I got the idea for this story but I'm glad I wrote it because it was a lot more fun and a much better story than I thought it would be. If you guys have checked out my profile page you will notice that I have a list of my pairings for these stories. The next story will focus on my Mystery Pairing. (The one that doesn't involve any member of The Mane Six.) I am really looking forwards to it and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Reviews are appreciated as always. Thanks for reading!


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